The Cave at Blue Grotto
For many years, Blue Grotto, located in Williston Florida was known for the large and spacious cavern. Through the years, Open Water divers, cavern, cave and students made their way to train, explore and work on their skills. [singlepic id=993 w= h= float=center] Hidden in the back of the property was a a secure pathway leading down to an area closed to all divers. A Cave. When Blue Grotto was sold and transferred to new ownership in 2013, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Cave, Cavern, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Featured, Open Water, Promotions, Recognition, Reference, Report, Springs
Mexico tourism tax increase from 14 to 19%
We have just been informed that the tourism tax for the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico is about to increase from 14 to 19%. This will effect Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Isla Mujeres. This higher tax rate is slated to take effect on January 1, 2014. Most hotels are not allowing to prepay to avoid the increase. … Read entire article »
POSEIDON SE7EN
Poseidon Diving Systems Introducing the POSEIDON SE7EN [singlepic id=985 w= h= float=center] GET CLOSER TO MARINE LIFE MUCH MORE TIME UNDERWATER PATENTED SAFETY TECHNOLOGY PLUG AND PLAY EXPANDABLE SYSTEM (REC & TECH OPTIONS) PROVEN PERFORMANCE The POSEIDON SE7EN comes with a great range of options, accessories and upgrades. Fully customizable, the next generation rebreather can be configured as a recreational rebreather or a full-spec, 100M-rated technical rebreather We would like to hear from you! If you have any suggestions please let us know by Emailing Suzette! We would like to know … Read entire article »
Filed under: Divetalking, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Products, Rebreather, Rebreathers, Reference
Lionfish, It’s whats for dinner
[singlepic id=743 w= h= float=center] You’re just know hearing our this fish called a Lionfish. Perhaps you already know what a Lionfish is. Perhaps you have never harvested, or even tasted lionfish. So where do you find lionfish to eat? You can acquire the sumptuous delicacy by harvesting them yourself or from divers who do harvest. Perhaps stores in the area offer lionfish. What is becoming more popular is finding lionfish on the menu, at local restaurants around the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Reefs, Reference
Dolphin Slaughter Fueled by Illegal Shark Trade
Posted by Alexis Manning in Ocean Views on October 24, 2013 Dolphins in Peru are having their lives cut short as fishermen take to the seas, illegally harpooning and killing the animals in order to harvest their skin for shark bait. Sharks are a profitable commodity to fishermen, as their meat has long been considered an expensive delicacy in Asia, and now, a new report by the investigative group and conservation NGO Mundo Azul suggests that this … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Dolphin, Donation, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Reference, Report, Stories
Remain Updated of New Posts by Registering and/or RSS Feeds
[singlepic id=242 w= h= float=center] One way to remain updated to new articles placed on Divetalking is to register with Divetalking. Registering with Divetalking is FREE and notifications on new posts are sent to the email address you provide during your registration. The email address you provide informs Divetalking where to send your initial password along with any password change requests you may make in the future. Another benefit of subscribing through the Registration process is the … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3D, Adv. Open Water, Alert, Artificial Reefs, Auction, Badge, Boats, Candidate, Cave, Cavern, Computers, Conservation, Contest, Convention, Dive Planner, Divemaster, Diver, Divetalking, Dolphin, Donation, Drift, Drysuits, Earth, Education, Emergency/FirstAid, Expo, extinction, Featured, Fish, Games, General Question, Grouper, Indonesia, Instructor, Insurance, Killer Whale, Lionfish, Logo, Manatee, Manta Rays, Master Diver, ocean, Open Water, Photography, Posts By DMs, Preservation, Products, Promotions, Quiz, RDP, Rebreather, Rebreathers, Recall, Recognition, Recreational Dive Planner, Reefs, Reference, Regulators, Report, Rescue, Rescue Diver, Scuba Training and related organizations, SeaLions, Sharks, Shrimp, Specialties, Springs, Summit, Training, Travel, Trip Invitations, Trip Report, Tuna, Turtles, Videography, Volunteer, Whales, Whaleshark, Wrecks
Airlines Might Just Hold the Secret to Ending Dolphin Captures at the Cove
By David Kirby If a dolphin were captured by Japanese fishermen and sold at great profit to a faraway amusement park, but no one was willing to fly the animal there, would the fishermen want to capture more dolphins? Probably not. That thinking has fueled a growing international effort to convince the world’s airlines and airfreight companies not to fly marine mammals captured from the wild to theme parks and aquariums. Citing the severe stress placed on … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Dolphin, Donation, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Recognition, Reference, Report
Lionfish workshops throughout the Southeast United States
Greetings Lionfish Enthusiasts! As part of our efforts to address the lionfish invasion to the western Atlantic, REEF received a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Aquatic Invasive Species Program to organize and lead lionfish workshops throughout the Southeast United States. Workshop topics include background of the invasion, lionfish biology, ecological impacts, current research findings, market development, and ways to get involved, with an emphasis on safe collecting and handling tools and techniques. We have … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Convention, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Expo, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Reefs, Reference, Report, Training
REEF Webinars / Fishinars
Some call them webinars. We call ’em Fishinars! Fishie fun in the comfort of your own home. Great for first-timers or those wanting a review. These short, free webinars will teach you the finer points of identifying fish and invertebrates underwater. We use common names, not scientific names, and focus on how to ID each critter. Fishinars help divers learn how to become citizen scientists and help monitor marine life on their recreational dives. Data gathered goes into … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Dive Planner, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Featured, Fish, Grouper, ocean, Preservation, Quiz, Reefs, Reference, Sharks, Training, Tuna, Turtles
MIDWAY – Can you answer: Why?
Divetalking has posted on this subject before but we thought the importance of its message should be shared as a reminder, once again. Please spend a moment of your time to watch this short video of the impact we have on this planet. Can you, will you step forward to speak up? Will anything you say or do matter? MIDWAY a Message from the Gyre : a short film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Photography, Preservation, Recognition, Reference, Report
Hong Kong Taking Steps to protect Sharks and Blue Fin Tuna
[singlepic id=973 w=320 h=240 float=none] The Govt has taken steps to reduce consumption of shark fin soup and other goods which promote the harvesting of species such as Shark and Tuna. [singlepic id=939 w=220 h=140 float=none] [singlepic id=917 w=220 h=140 float=none] Through the sustainability-conscious food consumption guidelines, “commitment to the promotion of green living and sustainability, the Government pledges to adopt sustainability-conscious food consumption during official entertainment functions, which includes no consumption of shark fins.” Also stated “The Government … Read entire article »
Filed under: Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report, Sharks, Tuna
Seized shark fins dumped in Pacific ceremony
The Marshall Islands symbolically disposed of confiscated shark fins at sea Tuesday in a ceremony witnessed by regional leaders attending the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). [singlepic id=973 w=320 h=240 float=right] The gesture underscored the progress made towards protecting the marine predators since the Marshalls declared a two million square kilometre (770,000 square mile) shark sanctuary in 2011, Angelo Villagomez from the US-based Pew Charitable Trusts said. Villagomez said some commercial tuna fishermen still illegally cut the fins from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Fish, ocean, Reference, Report, Sharks
New artificial reef dropped 15 miles off Marineland
By LORRAINE THOMPSON Special to The Record St. Augustine Beach resident Amy Kennedy spent more than a year planning her recent “cruises.” Kennedy, a project engineer for the Flagler County Engineering Department, spent two days on the Atlantic on commercial barges, where she oversaw the dumping of more than 800 tons of concrete at designated areas 15 miles offshore east of Marineland. Late Wednesday, the dumping site became the area’s newest artificial reef as the second and final load was dumped. The new Flagler reef coordinates are … Read the rest by clicking HERE … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Events, ocean, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report
NE Florida Lionfish Derby, 2013
[singlepic id=965 w=320 h=240 float=center] It was Friday August 23, 2013 and we met at Nippers for the required Captains Meeting. The room was filled with guest speakers and participants from all across Florida and part of Georgia. It would be the last opportunity to signup and participate in the Derby with awards as high as $1500.00 going to the team with the most lionfish. During the evening, speakers Walt Quinn (2013 Derby Director and proprietor), … Read entire article »
Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Contest, Diver, Divetalking, Donation, Earth, Education, Events, extinction, Featured, Fish, Games, Grouper, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Promotions, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report
Free Online DAN Seminars
Are you looking for new educational resources for your divers? DAN has made 20 popular seminars available online as continuing education opportunities. Presented by leading dive safety medical and research experts, these seminars cover important topics including ear injuries, decompression illness, dive accident management, medications and diving, emergency action plans and much more. There are three ways to access these great educational seminars: Watch the online educational presentations by visiting DAN.org/onlineseminars. Request a DVD of select seminars by contacting DAN Industry Partner representatives via email at IndustryPartner@dan.org or calling 877 532 6776. If you want to learn more about a topic not listed, email webinar@dan.org to request a free live webinar with a topic expert. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Diver, Divetalking, Education, Promotions, Reference, Training
Suunto PRODUCT RECALL FOR HIGH PRESSURE RUBBER HOSES
A limited batch of the high pressure rubber hoses used with Suunto air integrated dive computers, dive computer combos and analog combos has unfortunately been identified to have defective hose material which may impact the durability of the hose. This defect may cause the high pressure rubber hose to leak or rupture leading to loss of breathing gas at higher than anticipated rate which may result in severe injury or death. Diver safety is of highest importance … Read entire article »
Filed under: Diver, Divetalking, Education, Featured, Products, Recall, Reference, Report